Low-pressure gas discharge lamps have been widespread for decades, and there is a correspondingly large number of known operating circuits for such lamps. The invention proceeds in this case from a known operating circuit for operating a low-pressure gas discharge lamp, having a load circuit which applies radio-frequency power to the lamp, a high-frequency power generator for operating the load circuit, and a drive circuit for driving the high-frequency power generator. The high-frequency power generator is a part of an electronic ballast suitable for operation of electrodeless lamps.
Electrodeless low-pressure gas discharge lamps are an important and novel technical development. Here, the voltage or power required to ignite and maintain the discharge plasma is coupled into the discharge gas without electrodes fitted in the lamp bulb. This can be performed, in particular, by a coil on a closed ferrite core which encloses part of the lamp bulb and thus couples an induced voltage into the discharge gas. Further technical details relating to the electrodeless low-pressure gas discharge lamp follow from the Patent Application PCT/EP96/03180 of the same applicant, the disclosed content of which is expressly included in the present application.